Solder horn for can body side seamers



Dec. zo, 1949 E. LAxo SOLDER HORN FOR CAN BODY SIDESEAMERS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed 001;. 8, 1946 Dec. 20, 1949 E. LAXO soLDER HORN FOR CAN BODY sIDEsEAMERs 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed oct. 8, 1946 Il ll R ma m x 0 nu r m D f Y B Dec. 20, '1949 E. AxO

SOLDER HORN FOR CAN BODY SIDESEAMERS I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 8, 1946 INVENTOR. "0 Axa Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED srl-frm l V 22495616 Y SOLDER HORN Foi; cannoni sinn sEanERs u Ed Laxe; Oakland,- Califfl, perial. Diesel VEngine Co.,

poration of Delaware assigner tol-Atlas Im?-A Oakland, Calif., a cor- The present invention relates to l.apparatus for soldering the side seams of metalfcan bodies;

In theV conveying l of can' bodies through the solder horn of a sidejseamer, Vit isdimportant that the guiding surfaces ofthe solder horn rails `lie on atrue circle, with-the rails A straight and parallel, toinsure againstV neiging orfdisturbing off thecan bodies as they proceed 'through the solder horn, thereby pr`oducing satisfactory solder bonded side seams. Anyvariation,in`the relas` tive positions of therails alters the 'skize-orshape. of the opening through vWhicfhfthe can bodies pass,` forcing themffroin4 their'true desired circular shape and disturbing the solder bond side seam, A15 which may leakvhen subjected to the temperatures and pressures encountered in food processing. l 1

The maintenance of the sllldezrals intheirl n desired Arelative positions `is rendered difficult byg'g() the range of temperatures-totwhich theyfare exposed, That pprtion of thewsolder hornllying above thesolder bath is subjected to high temperatureswhile `another portionY disposed above the cooling ducts has a much lower temperature.V 25 The natural tendency of thesewopposed circumstances isl to `bucliilelor warpl 'the rails, producing theirl` misalignment. Misalignnent is also inv--4 duced by the. inability `to provide direct support for the rails atcertain points along `the apparatus V3o because oi interference with` other working parts and by such variables as unevenness of ther sideseanierframe, machining inaccuracies, etc.

In the operation of a can-body rsidesearr'ler,'it is essential, from time to tirnel'to open thesolder 35 horn` for thefremoval of jannied or bent"A ca r'1" 'y bodies,` cleaning ofthe 'rail's'urfaces contactingy the can bodies', orior inspection'fof the can' grip per `ringer portions 'of thconveyor chain# Such l opening"ofthe solder fhorn `*has heretofore re-"140 sulted'in misalignment ofl tiierails upon reclining, n usually caused by accumulations of tin dust, solder particles, or iiux onthe mating partsgorjby. the@ distortion ofthelong top rail of relativelysmall" cross-section, resulting from theveryact of its` movement "to and from assembled position in vthe'` f apparatus.``r Accordingly' the misalignedrailcon dition existing" 'upon reolosing of, the solder horn produces anuneven uncontrolledfpressure of, the guide "rails against the'ca'n bodies,`whioh arel 2 claims. (C1. 1131-115)` caused to ilex, distorting the solder bond within the side seams. v i Itis'also a fact thatv theacts of opening and" closing the solder horn has heretoiore'produced squeezing or damaging of the canlbodies, to the, detriment of a good solder bond in their side sear'ns. j Accordingly, it-is anpbjectof the presentinvention to provide aR can bodytsideseamer Whose guide rails may be maintained in appropriate relative position and alignment regardless of the varying 'temperatures to which they are subjected 1 i l, l Another objectl ofy the invention is lto provide a can body `sidese'amer leavingasolder horn ,ca-V pable of'bein'g opened without disturbing the relative po'sionsfancl alignment of the guide rails upon reclosing'; Still another object of theY invention isto provide a can body sideseamer whose solder horn canvbe opened and reclosedwithout damaging or squeezing the can bodies passing between the guide railsof the horn.

A f urtherobject-oi the invention isto maintain the proper disposition and alignment of the, guide'rails or 'a solderhornat points along the can body s ideseamer at which direct support can-4 not be provided bythe sideseamer frame." Another object ofqthe invention is to provide a canwbodyjsideseainer Whose solder horn rails can .Y be adjustedfin appropriate spaced relation to oneAW another and in nalignrnentto an extreme degreeof:r accuracy, irrespective Aof unevenness of the side-. j seamer frame, minor machining` errors, and otherv undesirable variable factors encountered in practice. n Yet `a further, object ofthe invention is to provide forL the adjustment of-thesolder hornv.rails of .a canvlbody -siclseamer while the appa-.1

ratus is in operation withlcan bodies progressing th1ough] the solder`horn. n I l f Another object of the invention .is to provide t a solder horntop rail assembly whose straightness Yis aiected neither by. opening or reclosing of the solder horn lnor by temperature variations alongfits length, l One iforinlwhich .the invention may assume is exernplied in the following description and ilusltratedby.; livay of example in the'accompanying drawings`,` in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a can body sideseamer embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the sldesearner taken generally along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken generally along the line 3 3 on Fig. 1, parts being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the soldering horn seen from the left oi Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of part of the sideseamer as seen from the left of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section taken along the line 1--1 of Fig. 4.

The apparatus disclosed in the drawings is a sideseamer for soldering the side seams -ID of cylindrical can bodies II as they are propelled through the solder horn I2 of the device. The sideseamer includes a frame or base I3 having longitudinally extending and oppositely arranged angle plates or ways I4, I4 on Whichare mounted a plurality of longitudinally spaced brackets I5 for supporting the guiding rails I8, I1, I8 of the solder horn. The can bodies are propelled through the .horn lin nthe direction of the arrow I9 (Fig. l) by a suitable chain 29 engagingthe ends of thebodies; passing such can bodies with their side seams .I0- facing downwardly through the solder bath -2I. .and-in contact with the rotating `solder. roll-722;: thence through a wiping `station, where a cloth buff 23 or the like removes the excess .solder -from the.- seam; and thenv through a coolingrstation.24..where the solder is Y cooled and solidied inthe-seam. Y

TheV solder-horn I2 consists-fof opposed side'- rails I5, I1, which are hollowed out to form surl faces 25, 25 lying on arcs of a circle, and a top rail I3., which is also arcuately shaped along its under-surface 21 to lie-on/a true circle. The

top rail vpresses the can `bodies downwardly to hold their side seams Ill against the solder roll 22 i the apparatus.

veyor chain 2E! may pass,and also with a longi- One side rail IIS -is *providedl with a longitudinal slot 28. throughwhich the contudinal opening 29 affording communication between the. slot and-.the circularor cylindrical d space betweenv the rails, through-which can end engaging dogs .3S on theichain may move.

The rails; I6, I1, I8 are'heldI and adjusted in proper parallelism .with respect kto one another,

to form a true circular guidingand supporting surface for the can bodies, by a plurality of spaced brackets.- Mostof .thebrackets AI 5 are supjustment screws jextendthrough .the ends, 34. oi each bracket and engagetheupper surfaces..

of the angle plates I4to shift thev bracket `I5 vertically with respect to the'frame or base I3. Horizontal or lateral adjustmentis provided by adjustment screws threadedthrough depend- Accord ing legs 38 of the bracket, with the ends ofthe screws 35 engaging the` inner edges of theV angle plates I nli. Following the appropriate adjustment of thebracket both vertically andY horizontally through proper manipulation of the adjustment screws 33, 35, the latter are prevented from turning by tightening lock nuts 31 against the bracket extensions 34, 36. The entire bracket is clamped to the angle plates I4 by clamping members 38, whose anges 39 engage the undersides of the angle plates and the walls of recesses 4D in the bracket. The clamping action results from the tightening of clamp screws 4I extending through the clamp members 38 and threaded in the bracket legs 36.

The L-shaped bracket member 32 has an upright leg 42 and is also provided with a lateral extension 43 on which a sprocket 44 for the conveyor chain 20 may be rotatably mounted. A bracket upright 45 is mounted firmly on the upper end of Nthe bracket leg 42being clamped thereto by one or more-elongate cap screws 46 extending through holes in the upright into downward threaded engagement with the leg. This upright 45 extends transversely towards a movable side rail I1 of thesolder horn.

The other side rail I6 lies lengthwise of the machine and 'rests Vupon inwardly extending bracket 'ledges 41, also engaging the inner face 48 of the upright bracket leg 42. The side rail I6 is-furk-ged against eachj ledge 41 by a set screw` bearing downwardly against the uppersurface 5I1- of the rail. Cap screws .5I extend'transversely thrughenlarged holes 5,2inthe bracket 32- and its leg' 42 for threaded'. reception inY the side rail Iii.,l ,When tightened, 'these screws 5I serve to draw the'outer'jface 53 i'ifjthe rail rmlyagainst The top fail I8 fals'exte'ds longitudinally 0f '5 the apparatus," beingimlyseurd to thebracket Set screws' 55 aiethreaded into 5 theupperprtionfoithe extension, and bear against` theupper: member 56 'of "the top rail, to

extension "451' determine f its downward positionv and also the downward positionsof its lower. portion 51 (secured to ,the'upp'er portion), whichY has'the bot- Y tom arcuate surface '21,"and `which is formed as a hollowytubegto; permit'the circulation" there# through of a cooling 'fluid.' Vertically arranged .Y

supportingA screws'jicalso vextend downwardly through the extension 45, into threaded engagement with the-upper `Aport/10u56 'ofv the top rail, for the purpose of' supporting the same approximately in adjusted position on rthe extension.v The set screws 55 determine the verticalposition of the top railV I8with respect `to the extension 45.

The supporting screws 5,3 can then Abe tightened to hold-.1 the-top. Yrailll-irnsuch verticalv position.

Lateral movement of. thetop. rail-.isv preventedV *y .by cap screws.59. .extending through enlarged,k

holes 6B 4inthe top rail Afor-.threaded reception in the bracket extension 45. f

The opposed guiderail I 'I isadjustably mounted on a'swingable leg 6I, whose lower end is'supv ported onapivotpinlmounted .in the L-shaped bracketm'emberwiZ. The-leg extends upwardly andis provided withla. clamping boss 63 at its upper endandaninner surface B14-adapted to w agi-@.oegeeeel snee or-.fa 5- onwe upright: extensignmae theflegfliIfmayt-be.clampedfin position by a suit.- f

Le -yolney` assemblyff'estraddlinghthe extension E rand;.pivotally-mountedsthereon; as `by piego 4pin vETIextending,fthroughrthe yoke and extension 451.1..Thefyokeassemblyhas a clamp screw B8 extendingcthrough fitsuouterl. `.portion` into en-f gagementmith .fthe clampfboss 63,-and.this clamp screwlgmay: bel-tightened or cloosenedrfbyxmeansi of anrfoperating:leverfpivotedee thereto. When theiyoke 4asembly` 66 :is swungto iahorizontal position and the clamp screw 68 tightenedragainst the boss I63the'leg. is, in effect, rigidlyfand rrn-ly se-L curedfto the bracketmember1--32 and its extension upright 45;y further `movement then being incape able'of occurring.

Reference `is now made VmoreparticularlyV to Fig; 2. 1-Figf2 constitutes-a section taken-generally-along the'line 2-i2 ci Fig; 1 but thesection deviates `slightly from the plane bisecting sup'-i portfinlg-member I5 so as to show certain adjust-'-v ment screws l which Vare spaced slightly from the bisecting planen Intermediate litsqends, the'leg with respect to the other side rail I6, and Awith ren spect to the top rail .|8,.may be adjusted. AWhen appropriately positioned so 44that its hollowed out` can body guide `face 26r lies `ona circle, which also coincides withthe guide faces. 25,'.2'L0f the @there ,l side rail 6 and top railY I8, capiscrews .'I'la, extending through enlarged holes 78 in the leg..6.I

and threaded `into the side railII, maybe tightenedtosecure the guide-.rail rin its1position of A adjustment.

It is to be notedthat'the pivot pintZ for the l' swingable vleg-6I is so disposed with-respect to the inwardly disposed lower llip 'I9of the movableguide rail I1 as not to damage the can bodies by a squeezing or other action .whenthe leg is swung 1. outward and downward to open the solder hornr.` Such opening can occur upon loosening the clamp fscrews' and swinging the yokes ,66 upwardly. 'to

a positionclear of the .legs 6I, whereupon the` latter may be swung outwardly vto allow'thefremovalfof canbodies or inspection? land cleaning.y

of the inner ,parts of the solder horn mechanism The 'interference of other working parts precludes the positioning ofone or more supporting brackets carried by the angle plates or ways I4 in' the region of the solder-bath 2 I For that reasonga somewhat `:modified formcf ra'il bracket arrange@ ment 3| is provided at the station mentioned.;v This `arrangement is best shown` in Fig. 3 whichv constitutes a section taken generallyalong the linee- 13 of Fig'. Lbut thelsectionA deviates slightly.

from. the plane bisecting the element 3| .so as to showfcertain adjustment screws which. are spaced slightlyiromtthe bisecting plane. Specifically, it

includes@ pairjof opposedfupright.castings 33,; 8l, oneof whichis connectedto a side rail VII l in substantially the lsame-.manner as described fin conneotion, with the other bracl:etj. However,y

suitable cap screws'BB Thissiderail, ias described i in connection with .theotherbracket; is also held? rmly against` the .surface 48d of the casting 'i I leg zilibysuitable' cap screwst5I passing through enlarged casting vholes.52Fandtfthreaded into the Y guide rail I 6.1' Thetopfrail `I8` is held rinly in the upright icastingimemb'eril andl adjusted in proper position; vin"substantially1' thesame manner as it is vadjustably mountedin the otherbracket 32, That is, supporting and set'screws..` 158 carry the rail Vin proper vertical position and cap fscrewsvclampthe-raill8 against lateral movement.

Theother side rail'IlA is also secured to the is provided at thesoldering'station, the upper and lower set screws 'l2','"13`of the other brackets are not provided, but the-.upper surface 'I4 of -theel side rail i? is held rmly against the arm 85, or

intervening shims (not shownf),.if required, byl suitable `vertically arrangedcapscrews B extendi ing ithrough enlarged holesV B'I invthearm and threaded into therailMIlHowever, lateral adjustrnent is still -provided-by set screws IE and Y cap screws 'Ila` in substantially-the-same manner as on the swingable legarrangement.`

The upright castingror bracket'member'! may be .clampedto the 1 opposed castingrior bracket member te by a yoke'fasembly `Istraddling the@ ,upright casting BI and rnounted'on a pivot pin B7 passing through theotherlbracket 3B. This yoke',v when vswung ftohorizc'ntal` position over the side rail bracket 8I`,f'serves to effect a clamping action by virtue of engagement'of its clampscrew l" 68 againstthe back face 88 oflthe bracket BI, which engageslower abutting surfaces 89, on the 'righ'tcastings 80, Blfand also positions a generally V-shaped recess-^9I on one casting 3l rmly against a wedge shaped' key 92 secured in the other casting tu, `providing automatic alignment of the lefthand casting BI (as seen in Fig. 3) with respect to the other casting. Sil, and appropriate positioning of the left side rail I1 with respect to the right side rail i6 and top rail I8 ofthe solder horn I2.

The bracket` arrangement vat the `solder bath,

consisting of one-or more brackets 3I of the type s shown in 3, while not providing direct supporttfrorn` the `frame I3to the rails, nevertheless does vform a truss: .withsthe` rails, tending to hold them.v in appropriately spaced position with respect to one fanother with substantially no deflection; and with eachmernber i6, -I'I, I8 aligned throughout its extended length.

Byvirtue of the apparatus described, adjustmentsmay` `be made to appropriately initially position: the rails I6,` I'I,'I8 in alignment prior to placing the machine in operation, and also during the time that -the machine is actually operating; The brackets I 5 may be'adjusted with' respect to the 'irame'or base `fl3 through suitable manipulation of `the adjustment screws 33, 35

and clampV screwsAI to align the brackets I5, oiisetting any inaccuracy 4or' `unevenness in the waysangers-,21

14.', Also, the rails .i l6;3,l1,.l.8i:may: be adjustedgf initially through )suitable manipulation of the various set screws 49, 12, 13, 16, .55,Y until their.;

arcuategsurfaces 25, 26, .2'1A lie onxga true: circle witheaoh of therailsrlying-in a straight line.

throughout its length. Such'adjustments may be made with the rails subject to the varying degrees of temperature encountered4 in the gapparatus. *s For example,the temperature'at the solder bath y 21.4where`the molten solder` is vdeposited on the can body side seam vis much higher-than the V temperature vat the cooling station 24, which tends to ,warp the rails. Such warpage may be overcome .and compensated for by appropriate turn-V ing ofthe setscrewsan-d subsequent clamping ofv the cap screws 59, l1 and supporting screwsv58 to insure that alignment of each rail .is obtained and maintainedwith the rails properly-positioned with respect to one another.

Not only can adjustmentsbemade prior to the,

conveying of can bodies through the solder horn,

but they can be made during the time that the mechanism is operating, since the various ad- I8 'with respect to its extended length makes the latter readily susceptible to distortion and misalignment as a result of the varying temperatures along its length. Such distortions are overcome in the present instance by forming the lower portion 5l of the top rail asa hollow tube through which a coolant may be circulated during operation of the device, thus maintaining the temperature of -the' tube fairly uniform throughout its length and preventing its distortion as a result of temperature differentials.

The brackets I5, 3l may be opened and the side rail Il moved outwardly without ldistorting or damaging the can body. Such opening is desirable for the purpose of inspecting or cleaning the yapparatus or for removing cans jammed in the solder horn I2. elected very rapidly by loosening the yoke clamp open position, which permits the bracket legs 6l Openingof the solder horn is nature of tin dust, 'solder o'riiux'to depositen any surfaces, acting as a barrier toreturn of theV t side rail I1 toits original position. -Allengagingfsurfaces and cl-ampingparts 4are above thep'a'th' of movement of the can bodies and also above the molten solder, allowing small opportunity, if any,`

for vthese surfaces to become fimpaired with l1 In "any event, should anyxpar-l 1: .ly 'ticles so deposit on them, they may .be readily observed prior to closing of the solder horn and foreign particles.

easily removed.

It is also to-be noted that the solderrhorn l2 i may be lopenedwithout shifting vtheposition of'v the top `rail I8, of relatively small cross-section-j-; as compared with its length. The very` actofg;`

moving the top rail laterally would cause distortion and require its re-alignment. Howeven Vthe a solder-horn may be opened and ref-closed without altering the position of the top rail in anyvparticular.

able during shifting of the bracket legs 6l to open and closed positions.

It is apparent that a canbody sideseamer has been provided in `which the guiding railsof the solder horn are maintained in accurate alignment and appropriately disposed with respect to one another, to provide a circular.opening for opened andclosed in a minimum of, time for the performance of required functions or operations on the apparatus.

While I have shown thenpreferredform,of-my invention, it is to be understoodv `that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from theV Y spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what vI claim and desire to secure by Letters'Patentiis: l. A machine for soldering the side seams of cam bodies comprising alframework,A first and.

t t y, second can body guide rails Adisposed opposite screws Se, and swinging the yokes 66 upwardly to l to be swung outwardly, carrying the side, rail Il f outwardly with them. The siderail l1 alsoremovesthe upright casting, 8l. at lthe soldering station from the opposed upright casting` 80 and fixed side rail IG without any further action or movement of parts being required. The location of the bracket leg pivot pins 62 permits the side one another and supported by relatively movable portions of said framework, means for securing said portions in relatively fixed operating positions, adjustable mounting means between said second guide rail and its supporting portion of rail''fi to be moved away' from theA can body 'v without damaging it.

A fterfthe jammed cans' have been removed, or the 'cleaning or `inspection has taken place, the legs 5l 'and raill are swung back inwardly to A permit return of the yoke assembliest tov clamped positions, with the clamp screws 68 tightened against thecOOperable abutting portions 53,158. The side rail l'l is thus repostioned'" said framework for shifting said second rail to move its longitudinal axis vertically and horizontally to change the position and direction of said axis and to rotate the second rail about its said axis to thereby bring said second rail into precise alignment with said rst rail, said adjustable mounting means including screws :movable at right angles to one another transversely ofsaid second rail supporting portion,

2. A machine for soldering the side seams of can bodies comprising a framework, rst and sec ondcan body guide,Y rails disposed opposite one another and supported by relatively movable portions of said framework, means for securing said..

' portions in relatively xeol operating positions,

adjustable screw mounting means between said second rail and its supporting portion ofV said framework for shiftingsaid lsecond, railto moveV` its longitudinal axis vertically with respect to said supporting portion, and other adjustable screw mounting means between said second rail and its supporting portion of said framework for shifting The only guide member which is moved` is the side rail l1, which is ofcomparatively large'f; cross-section and, therefore, Ynot easilyI distort- 9 10 said second rail to move its longitudinal axis hori- UNITED STATES PATENTS zontally with respect to said supporting portion l and to change the position and direction of said m3232149 Gralge Aprnfelgll alXS and t0 rotate the Second rai-1 about Said 1 KrOnqueS-t m- De 4, axis to thereby bring said second rail into precise 5 1'639955 Mur h "A '23 1927 lignment with said rst rail. C ug" a' ED LAXO 1,740,683 Kruse Dec. 24, 1929 1,767,900 Schaal 1 June 2:4, 1930 1,768,015 Troyer June 2:4, 1930 REFERENCES CITED 1,939,723 Peters nes. 1.9, 1933 The fouowmg references are of record in the 1 2,357,402 Hasse sept. 5, 1944 iile of this patent: 

